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The effect of military spending on income inequality: evidence from NATO countries

Author

Listed:
  • Chletsos Michael

    (University of Ioannina)

  • Roupakias Stelios

    (National Institute of Labour and Human Resources
    University of Ioannina)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of defense spending on income inequality in 14 NATO countries, using SIPRI data for the period 1977–2007. We account for potential endogeneity by employing a novel instrumental variables approach. Specifically, we use the predicted “shift-share” defense as an instrument, in the fashion of Bartik (Who benefits from state and local economic development policies? WE Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, Kalamazoo, 1991). Our identification strategy indicates that defense causes inequality to decrease. The short-run elasticity of inequality with respect to military expenditure is − 0.075. This finding withstands several tests of robustness. Importantly, similar results are obtained when the long-run relationship is scrutinized via the implementation of second-generation panel co-integration and causality techniques, robust to cross-sectional dependence.

Suggested Citation

  • Chletsos Michael & Roupakias Stelios, 2020. "The effect of military spending on income inequality: evidence from NATO countries," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 1305-1337, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:58:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s00181-018-1576-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-018-1576-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Muhammad Waqas Khan & Mehmet Akif Destek & Zeeshan Khan, 2025. "Income Inequality and Artificial Intelligence: Globalization and age dependency for developed countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 1207-1233, February.
    3. Sudeshna Ghosh, 2022. "Analysing the nexus between income inequality and military expenditure in top ten defence expenditure economies," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 689-712, April.
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    5. Charles Shaaba Saba & Nicholas Ngepah, 2022. "Nexus between defence spending, economic growth and development: evidence from a disaggregated panel data analysis," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 109-151, February.
    6. Gitana Dudzevičiūtė & Svajone Bekesiene & Ieva Meidute-Kavaliauskiene & Galina Ševčenko-Kozlovska, 2021. "An Assessment of the Relationship between Defence Expenditure and Sustainable Development in the Baltic Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-27, June.
    7. Ceyhun Elgin & Adem Y. Elveren & Gökçer Özgür & Gül Dertli, 2022. "Military spending and sustainable development," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 1466-1490, August.
    8. Adem Yavuz Elveren & Ünal Töngür & Tristian Myers, 2023. "Military spending and economic growth: A post-Keynesian model," Economics of Peace and Security Journal, EPS Publishing, vol. 18(2), pages 51-65, October.
    9. Gitana Dudzevičiūtė & Vida Česnuitytė & Dalia Prakapienė, 2021. "Defence Expenditure–Government Debt Nexus in the Context of Sustainability in Selected Small European Union Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-18, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Military expenditure; Inequality; Panel co-integration; Income distribution; Instrumental variables (IV) estimation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • C36 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation

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